Etymology
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astray (adv.)

early 14c., o strai, "away from home; lost, wandering" (of cattle), borrowed and partially nativized from Old French estraie, past participle of estraier "astray, riderless (of a horse), lost," literally "on stray" (see stray (v.)). Figurative use is from late 14c.

Entries linking to astray

stray (v.)
c. 1300, a shortening of Old French estraier "wander about, roam, drift, run loose," said of animals, especially a horse without a master, also of persons, perhaps literally "go about the streets," from estree "route, highway," from Late Latin via strata "paved road" (see street). On another theory, the Old French word is from Vulgar Latin *estragare, a contraction of *estravagare, representing Latin extra vagari "to wander outside" (see extravagant). Figurative sense of "to wander from the path of rectitude" is attested from early 14c. Related: Strayed; straying.
stray (adj.)
c. 1600, of animals; 19c. of persons and things, from stray (n.) and in part a shortening of astray.
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Definitions of astray

astray (adv.)
away from the right path or direction;
he was led astray
astray (adv.)
far from the intended target;
a bullet went astray and killed a bystander
Synonyms: wide
From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near astray

astonishing

astonishment

astound

astounding

astral

astray

astriction

Astrid

astride

astringent

astro-

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